For Immediate Release

Stakeholders input into development of new climate change and environmental

management legislation to build resilience in Saint Lucia
Port of Spain, July 24, 2018 – The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and Department of
Sustainable Development, Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable
Development in Saint Lucia engaged government, civil society and private sector stakeholders to input
into a national workshop to enhance Saint Lucia’s environmental legislation from June 26-27, 2018.

The national workshop aimed to develop two new pieces of legislation, including a Climate Change Bill
and Environmental Management Bill for Saint Lucia. The proposed Climate Change Bill provides a
framework for ensuring intersectoral coordination and financing for effective planning, implementation
and monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation and mitigation actions. The proposed
Environmental Management Bill serves as umbrella legislation that addresses a range of key
environmental issues, including biodiversity and protected areas, coastal zone and marine management,
pollution, environmental approvals, monitoring and enforcement as well as climate change.

In opening remarks at the workshop, the Chief Sustainable Development and Environment Officer, Ms.
Annette Rattigan-Leo, highlighted that: “The legislation will provide support in helping the Department
lead the process of achieving sustainable development by facilitating an integrated and participatory
approach to governance and promoting environmental management”.

Stakeholders at the second national consultation in Saint Lucia

Additional input and comments from the wider public and other interested parties are now invited for
the Climate Change Bill and Environment Management Bill for Saint Lucia. The draft bills are available
on request from the Department of Sustainable Development. Please call (1-758) 451-8746 for further
details. All comments should be submitted by August 3, 2018.
This initiative is supported by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Global Climate
Change Alliance project, iLAND Resilience - Promoting a Climate of Change, funded by the European
Union (EU). The overall aim of the iLAND Resilience project is to enable the implementation of the OECS
St. George’s Declaration of Principles for Environmental Sustainability, namely the protection and
sustained productivity of the OECS countries’ natural resources. CANARI is providing technical
assistance to the Department of Sustainable Development under this initiative to create an enabling
legal framework for conservation and sustainable management of Saint Lucia’s natural resources and
build resilience to climate change.

About iLAND Resilience - Promoting a Climate of Change: iLAND Resilience - Promoting a Climate of
Change is the brand for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Global Climate Change
Alliance (GCCA) project on Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Land Management in the Eastern
Caribbean. This project is funded by the European Union (EU). One component of this project focuses
on Technical Assistance for the Development of Frameworks aimed at Enhancing Environmental
Management. This technical assistance component seeks to develop institutional frameworks towards
improved environmental management and resilience to climate change in four OECS Member States,
Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia. CANARI is implementing this component on
behalf of the OECS and providing co-financing through its EU funded project, Powering Innovations in
Civil Society and Enterprises for Sustainability in the Caribbean (PISCES). See here for more information
on the iLand Resilience project: http://iland.oecs.org/.

About CANARI: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is a regional technical non-profit
organisation which has been working in the islands of the Caribbean for more than 25 years. Our mission
is to promote equitable participation and effective collaboration in managing natural resources critical to
development. Our programmes focus on capacity building, policy planning and development, research,
sharing and dissemination of lessons learned, and fostering regional partnerships. See here for more
information on CANARI: http://www.canari.org/.

Connect with us:

For further information, please contact:

Ainka Granderson, Senior Technical Officer at CANARI at ainka@canari.org or call: +1 868 638 6062